The pigs wallowed in the dirt. Their snouts burrowed deeply into the mud and they loved it. The pig pen was full of mud, slush and food scraps that they had been given to feed on. The farmer took little notice of the state of the pigs. After all, wallowing in the mud is part of their nature!
As we come closer and closer to Good Friday, we too learn more and more about our nature. We, like the pigs, wallow in the mud, and at times secretly enjoy it. We talk behind the back of others, passing on the tasty snippets of gossip and build ourselves up by putting others down. Sin is our nature and we are surrounded by it on all sides. We cannot drag ourselves out of our muddy surroundings - we need special rescuing.
Through his Son, God drags us out of the mud. He calls us to a new life. He makes us clean; he washes us off. He then gives us the power of his Holy Spirit and invites us to live a new life where we no longer need to go...sip...mud!
May the true message of Easter be the realization that Jesus’ death and resurrection was for us personally and that we no longer need to live as we once did.
Neil P. Schiller